In the treatment of many types of diseases, pains, and disorders of the body, it is often advantageous to keep the afflicted area warm, or more desirable still, at an elevated skin temperature. This is true of the treatment of arthritis, neuritis, muscular ailments, and certain mechanical bone disorders. This heat therapy typically takes the form of wrapping the area to be treated with a brace or bandage, or applying a pad to the region which by reason of a low thermal conductance limits the escape of body heat.
Bandages, braces and pads made of low thermal conductivity material do serve to reduce heat loss, but are generally relatively thick since the degree of thermal nonconductance is a function of thickness. This adds unnecessary cost, weight and bulk to the support brace.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved means for providing heat to a bodily area.